Door check and closer.



PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904;

W. PELZBR. DOOR CHECK AND GLOSER. APPLICATION rum) JULY 17, 1896. noMODEL. 2 snnn'rssnn n'r 1.

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No. 754,690; v PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904.

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DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17,-1896. N0 MODEL. 2 SHEET8SHEET 2. v

UNITED STATES Patented March 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM PELZER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DOOR CHECK AND CLOSER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 754,690, dated March15, 1904.

, Application filed July 17, 1896.

in Door Closers and Checks, of which thefol' lowing is a specification.

The main object of my invention is to provide a mechanical door-check,as distinguished from one in which the check is produced through theagency of a fluid, and one in which the retarding or checking device ispreferably thrown out of retarding or checking action at a predeterminedpoint to permit the doorcloser to complete the closing of the door afterthe desired check is produced and Without having to overcome any furtherresistance in the retarding or checking device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a combined door closingand checking device in which the retarding or checking device willpreferably have the characteristics just stated; and a still furtherobject of my invention is to combine such a device in a hinge, whereby acombined spring-hinge and doorcheck is produced.

In carrying my invention into efl ect I preferably employ a retarding orchecking device which may be gradually loaded or brought to an increasedtension to gradually retard or check the closing movement of the door,and to accomplish this I preferably employ a mechanical device, such asa spring. By gradually loading the retarding or checking device theparts are not subjected to severe strains, as is the case where theclosing of the door is suddenly checked.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is an elevation showing my improved check in its simplest form;Fig. 2, a top view of the same; Fig. 3, an elevation showing myinvention in its second form-- that is, as a combined check and closer;Fig. A, a top view of the same; Fig. 5, an elevation showing myinvention in its third formthat is, as a combined spring hinge andcheck; Figs. 6 and 7, top and bottom views, respectively,

Serial No. 599,554. (No model.)

' of the form shown in Fig; 5. Fig. Sis alon- ,.gitudinal section of thehinge shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 5 is across-section on the line 9 9 ofFig. 5. j

Referring to Fig. l, A and B are two leaves adapted to be secured to thedoor and easing, respectively. The leaf A has a knuckle or head a,through which passes the shank c of a disk C. To the end of the shank 0issecured one end ofa coiled spring D, the other end of 4 which issecured to a reduced portion of the knuckle or head I) on leaf B.Passing centrally through head 6 and the shank 0 is arodthis head isheld against rotation by a setscrew 2' The upper end of the rod carriesa cam F. A finger h, constructed integrally with a cam H, engages withthe cam F, and the cam H is carried by a screw 7L screwing into ashoulder a on leaf A. A light spring h 'is coiled around the head ofscrew 7?, and the free end passes through a pin on finger h and tends tohold cam H in contact with the disk 0; but in the position shown, whichis the closed position of the door, the cam F, engaging with finger 72holds cam H out of engagement with the disk. The head 6 is provided witha slot for a screw-driver, whereby the head and the rod may be turned toadjust the position of cam F relative to finger h, the relativepositions of which determine the point at which the retarding orchecking device is thrown out of checking action to per- :mit thedoor-closer to complete the closure of the door. Washers a; and w, ofvulcanized fi-ber or other suitable material, are provided between diskC and head a and between cam H and shoulder a to reduce friction.

The device thus far described embodies my invention in its simplestformthat is, a mechanical door-check (independent of a closing device)and means for throwing the checking device out of action at apredetermined point. It will be understood that with this simple form ofdoor-check the door-closing device will be an independent device,such asa spring or weight.

The operation of the device just' described is as follows: In openingthe door to which the leaf A is secured the head a is rotated on shank0, which carries cam H with it, shank c and disk C being held againstrotation by spring D. This movement causes finger h to move away fromcam F and permits spring [L2 to throw cam H into engagement with disk(J. At the beginning of the closing move-' ment of the door the backwardmovement of leaf A produces a slight rolling action between cam H anddisk C, which causes the cam to firmly grip the disk and rotate it onrod E, which movement places spring D under tension, and the degree oftension will depend upon the distance the door is opened. Spring D willbe of such size or tension that when the door is within a few inches ofthe closingpoint the tension will almost be equal to the pressure of theclosing-springor other device, and the momentum of the door having beengradually decreased almost to the stoppingpoint it will be seen that thedoor will close without the objectionable slam. At this point, in orderto insure the closure of the door against draft, friction, &c., Ipreferably place spring D out of retarding or checking action, so as topermit the closing-spring or other device, which has now almost reachedits point of minimum pressure, to efiect the closure without having toovercome the full resistance of the checking device. This, as abovestated, is done by finger it engaging cam F, which causes the finger tomove outward from the center and slightly rotate cam H on its pivot.This releases the grip of cam H on disk G and permits spring D to assumeits normal condition.

In Figs. 3 and 4: I have shown this form of checking device combined inthe same structure with a door-closing spring. In this form the head ahas a reduced portion to which the door-closing spring I is secured. Theother end of this spring is secured to a tension-adjusting ring J whichis sleeved on the reduced portion of head 6. to which the lower end ofthe retarding or checking spring D is secured. In this illustration Ihave shown a different form of gripping device for placing spring Dunder tension, although the form shown in Fig. 2 may be employed.Instead of disk C a ratchet-wheel (J is shown, and with which a pawl Hengages to place the retarding or checking spring under increasedtension. The pawl has a finger la, which engages with a pin F on rod Eto throw spring Dout of retarding or checking action. A cam may beemployed instead of the pin,as in Fig. 2. This modified form of grippingdevice is not so good as that of Fig. 2, for the reason that there is avarying amount of lost motion in operation due to the ratchet and pawl;but this lost motion can be reduced by providing a larger number ofteeth on the disk. The

form of gripping device shown in Fig. 2 is preferable in this respect,since it grips immediately as the door starts its closing movement, andthe applicaton Oftheratchet and pawl to the form of device shown in Fig.3 is merely for the purpose of illustrating a modified gripping deviceand not as being of any special adaptability or superiority over thecamgripping device in a combined closer and check.

The operationof the door-check shown in Fig. 3 is exactly the same asthat of Fig. 1, and the opening of the door places spring I underincreased tension, as in an ordinary doorspring or spring-hinge.

In Figs. 5 to 9 the constructions of Figs. 1 and 3 are embodied in ahinge. A and B are the two leaves, having knuckles a a and Z) 6',respectively, and .washers m of vulcanized fiber or other suitablematerial, are preferably placed between knuckles a b and a b. The pintleis preferably made in two tubular sections K, one section for each pairof knuckles a b and a I), and I provide set-screws It for securing thepintle-sections to the knuckles of the leaf which is secured to thedoor-casing. As shown, the pintle-sections are secured to knuckles b b.The closing-springI is secured to two adjusting-rings J, which havetheir hearings on the pintle-sections. The rings are held to theadjusted positions by pins J, which bear against the hinge-leaves. Theretarding or checking spring is secured to two shanks c and c on disks Cand C'. To retard or check the closing movement, the disk C is grippedby the cam H during the closing movement, as above described, and thespring D is thrown out of retarding or checking action by cam F andfinger h. To permit the placing of spring D under tension, the lowerdisk 0 is held against rotation by a lockingplate 0 carried by a screw0, and having two pins which enter holes in the disk. To hold cam F inits adjusted position, a set-screw c is provided, which binds the rod Eto disk C. The position of cam F is adjusted by disengaging set-screw 0from rod E and turning rod E in either direction by a screw driver, theend of the rod being slotted for that purpose. (See Fig. 7

It is preferable to have the gripping-cam H carried by the movable ordoorleaf. As shown,

the cam or dog H is carried by leaf A. When it is desired to employ thesame hinge for a door where leaf A is stationary and the leaf B will bethe movable or door leaf, the positions of the gripping-cam H and thelockingplate 0 are changed, so that disk 0 is held stationary by meansof plate 0 and disk C becomes the movable disk to be gripped by the camin placing spring D under tension. The set-screws are removed fromknuckles b b and inserted in holes in knuckles a and a to hold thepintle-sections stationary with the knuckles a and a, and the set-screw0 is reis to reduce the friction on the shanks 0 and- 0' and to preventthe rotation of the shanks with the opening movement of the door, whichmight happen if the tubular pintle-sections K were loose or secured tothe moving knuckles of the hinge. To place the closing-spring I out ofaction, either or both pins J are removed, so that the spring cannot beplaced under tension with the opening movement of the door. To place thechecking-spring D entirely out of action, either cam H or plate 0 orboth, are removed.

The operation of the hinge will be readily understood from the foregoingdescription. Ordinarily in using the checking-hinge two such hinges willbe employed in place of the common plain or spring hinges, although aplain hinge and one of my improved hinges may be employed together, ifdesired; or, if desired, one hinge may be a checking-hinge embodying thefeatures of Fig. 1 and the other may be a spring-hinge. Also, ifdesired, two hinges, as shown in Fig. 5, may be employed together,onehaving the closingspring out of operative connection and the otherhaving the checking-spring out of operative connection, or only onemight have its checking-spring in operative connection and both havetheir closing-springs in operative connection, or both might have theirchecking springs in operative connection and only one have itsclosing-spring in operative connection, according to the draft, weightof door, and other conditions that may be met with in practice. 7 I

B rom the foregoing it will be seen that the hinge of Fig. 5 may beoperated either as a simple hinge, a spring-hinge, a combined hinge andcheck, or a combined spring-hinge and check. The device of Fig. 1 isintended to be employed in conjunction with either plain hinges (inwhich case an extra closingspring will be employed) or with ordinaryspring-hinges. The device of Fig. 3 may be employed in conjunction witheither plain hinges or ordinary spring-hinges.

It will be understood thatI do not limit my invention to the precisefeatures of construc- 1 tion illustrated and described, since the samemay be modified without departing from the spirit of my invention. Forinstance, the checking device need not be a gradual load ing devicewhere severe strains might not occuras, for instance, in very lightdoors and the check might be quite abrupt and be produced near the endof the closing movementthat is to say, the gripping device need notnecessarily grip the disk C immediately upon the starting of the closingmovement, but may be arranged to grip at any point in the closingmovement, and under such conditions the normal tension of thecheckingspring would be greater than when the gripping device engagedimmediately.

What I claim is- 1. In a door-check, the combination with a mechanicaldevice for retarding or checking the closing movement of a door, ofmeans for throwing said device out of retarding or checking action at apredetermined point in the closing movement, substantially as set forth.

2. In a door-check, the combination witha mechanical device forgradually retarding or checking the closing movement of a door, of

means for throwing said device out of retarding or checking action at apredetermined point in the closing movement, substantially as set forth.

3. In a door-check, the combination with a spring for retarding orchecking the closing movement of a door, of a device cooperating withsaid spring during the closing movement to effect the retarding orchecking action, and means for throwing said device out of operativeengagement with said spring at a predetermined point, substantially asset forth.

4. In a combined door closer and check, the combination with means forclosing the door, of a mechanical device for retarding or checking theclosing movement, and means for throwing said device out of retarding orchecking action at a predetermined point in the closing movement,substantially as set forth.

5. In a combined door closer and check, the combination with means forclosing the door,

of a mechanical device for gradually retarding or checking the closingmovement, and means-for throwing said device out of retarding orchecking action at a predetermined point in the closing movement,substantially as set forth.

6. In a combined door closer and check, the combination of aclosing-spring, a retarding or checking spring, a device cooperatingwith the latter spring during the closing movement to effect theretarding or checking action, and means for throwing said device andspring out of operative relation at a predetermined point, substantiallyasset forth.

7. In acombined hinge and door-check, thecombination with thehinge-leaves and knuckles, of a mechanical device for graduallyretarding-or checking the closing movement, substantially as set forth.

8: In a combined hinge and door-check, the

checking the closing movement, and means.

for throwing said device out of retarding or checking action at apredetermined point, substantially as set forth.

9. In a combined hinge and door-check, the combination with thehinge-leaves and knuckles, of a spring carried by the hinge, and meanswhereby said spring is placed under tension for retarding or checkingthe closing movement, substantially as set forth.

10. In a combined hinge and door-check,the combination with thehinge-leaves and knuckles, of a spring carried by the hinge, a devicecooperating with said spring for retarding or checking the closingmovement, and means for throwing said device and spring out of operativerelation at a predetermined point, substantially as set forth.

11. In a combined spring-hinge and doorcheck, the combination with thehinge-leaves and knuckles, of a closing-spring carried by the hinge, anda mechanical device operatively connected with the hinge for graduallyretarding or checking the closing movement, substantially as set forth.

12. In a combined spring-hinge and doorcheck, the combination with thehinge-leaves and knuckles, of a closing-spring carried by the hinge, amechanical device operatively connected with the hinge for retarding orchecking the closing movement, and means for throwing said device out ofretarding or checking action at a predetermined point, substantially asset forth.

13. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, oftwo springs carried thereby, one being operatively connected with thehinge elements to effect the closing movement and the other beingoperatively connected with the hinge elements to retard or check theclosing movement, substantially as set forth.

14. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, oftwo springs carried thereby, one being operatively connected with thehinge elements to effect the closing movement and the other beingoperatively connected with the hinge elements to retard or check theclosing movement, and means for throwing the latter spring out ofretarding or checking action at a predetermined point, substantially asset forth.

15. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of aclosing-spring carried thereby, a retarding or checking s'pring alsocarried thereby, a device carried by the hinge and to which the latterspring is secured, and means cooperating with said device during theclosing movement to effect the retarding or checking action,substantially as set forth.

16. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of aclosing-spring carried thereby, a retarding or checking spring alsocarried thereby, a device carried by the hinge and to which the latterspring is secured, means cooperating with said device during the closingmovement to effect the retarding or checking action, and means forthrowing the retarding or checking mechanism out of operative relationat a predetermined point, substantially as set forth.

17. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of aclosing-spring carried thereby,a retarding or checking spring alsocarried thereby, a disk carried by the hinge and to which the latterspring is secured, and a cam cooperating with said disk during theclosing movement to effect the retarding or checking action,substantially as set forth.

18. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of aclosing-spring carried thereby, a retarding or checking spring alsocarried thereby, a disk carried by the hinge and to which the latterspring is secured, a cam cooperating with said disk dur ing the closingmovement to effect the retarding or checking action, and means forthrowing said cam out of operative engagement with the said disk at apredetermined point, substantially as set forth.

19. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of aclosing-spring carried thereby, a retarding or checking spring alsocarried thereby, two devices carried by the hinge and to which thelatter spring is secured, means for locking one of said devices to oneside of the hinge, and means cooperating with the other one of saiddevices during the closing movement and whereby the retarding orchecking action is efiected, substantially as set forth.

20. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of aclosing-spring carried thereby, a retarding or checking spring alsocarried thereby, two devices carried by the hinge and to which thelatter spring is secured, means for locking one of said devices to oneside of the hinge, means cooperating with the other one of said devicesduring the closing movement, whereby the retarding or checking action iseffected, and means for throwing the retarding or checking mechanism outof operative relation at a predetermined point, substantially as setforth.

21. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of aclosing-spring carried thereby, two disks carried by the hinge and towhich the latter spring is secured, a device for locking one of saiddisks to one side of the hinge, and a cam cooperating with the otherdisk during the closing movement and whereby the retarding or checkingaction is effected, substantially as set forth.

22. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of aclosing-spring carried thereby, two disks carried by the hinge and towhich the latter spring is secured, a dethe leaves and knuckles, oftubular pintle-secvice for locking one of said disks to one side of thehinge, a cam cooperating with the other disk during the closing movementand whereby the retarding or checking action is effected,

and means for throwing the retarding or checking mechanism out ofoperative relation at a predetermined point, substantially as set forth.

23. In a door-hinge, the combination with the closing movement andwhereby the retarding or checking action is effected, substantially asset forth.

24:. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, oftubular pintle-sections for the knuckles, collars sleeved on the innerends of said pintle-sections, a closingspring connected with saidcollars, two disks having shanks extending through the pintlesections, aretarding or checking spring secured to said shanks, a device forlocking one of said disks to one side of the hinge, a cam cooperatingwith the other disk during the closing movement whereby the retarding orchecking action is effected, and means for throwing the retarding orchecking mechanism out of operative relation at a predetermined point,substantially as set forth.

25. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, oftubular pintle-sections for the knuckles, collars sleeved on the innerends of said pintle-sections, a closingspring connected with saidcollars, two disks having tubular shanks extendingthrough thepintle-sections, a retarding or checking spring secured to said shanks,a device for locking one of said disks to one side of the hinge, a camcooperating with the other disk during the closing movement whereby theretarding or checking action is effected, a cam adjacent to one of saiddisks and carried by a rod eX- tending through the shanks and adjustablysecured to the other disk, and a finger cooperating with the lastnamedcam to place the first-named cam out of operative engagement v with itsdisk at a predetermined point, subtarding or checking the closingmovement, and means for reversing the operative elements of said devicerelative to the two sides of the hinge, substantially as set forth.

28. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of aclosing-spring carried thereby, means for retarding or checking theclosing movement, and means for operati vely engaging the elements ofthe retarding or checking means with the hinge elements, said meansbeing reversible to permit the use of the hinge with doors moving inopposite directions, substantially as set forth.

29. In a door-check, the combination with I two members one arranged forattachment to a door and the other to its casing, of a mechanical deviceoperatively connected with said members for retarding or checking theclosing movement of the door, means for' throwing said device out ofretarding or checking action at a predetermined point, and means wherebythe retarding or checking element may be maintained in inoperativeposition, substantially as set forth.

30. In a combined door closer and check, the combination with twomembers, one arranged for attachment to a door and the other to itscasing, of a closing-spring operatively connected with said members, amechanical device also operatively connected with said members forretarding or checking the closing movement of the door, means forthrowing said device out of retarding or checking action at apredetermined point, and means whereby the retarding or checking elementmay be maintained in inoperative position, substantially as set forth.

31. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of amechanical device for retarding or checking the closing movement, andmeans whereby said device may be maintained in inoperative positionthroughout the closing movement, substantially as set forth.

32. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of amechanical device for retarding or checking the closing movement of thedoor, means for throwing said device out of retarding or checking actionat a predetermined point, and means whereby the retarding or checkingelement may be maintained in inoperative position throughout the closingmovement, substantially as set forth. I

33. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of aclosing-spring, means for cutting said spring out of action, amechanical device also combined with the hinge for retarding or checkingthe closing movement, and means whereby said device may be maintained ininoperative position throughout the closing movement, substantially asset forth.

34:. In a door-hinge, the combination with the leaves and knuckles, of aclosing-spring, the closing movement, substantially as set 10 means forcutting said spring out of action, a forth. mechanical device alsooperatively connected This specification signed and witnessed this withthe hinge for retarding or checking the 14th day of July, 1896.

5 closing movement, means for throwing said 7 device out of retarding orchecking action at ILLIAM PELZER' a predetermined point, and meanswhereby W itnesses: the retarding or checking element may be GEO. B.CRONK,

maintained in inoperative position throughout EUGENE CONRAN.

